Safety bar for bathtubs



H. s. BENNETT www2 ESM m liquid 1 VvTHME# AIVEAIT/z HD WA RD 5 BEA/NE TTE55? E Y July 4, 195o SAFETY BAR FOR BATHTUBS Filed May`1'7, 1947Patented July 4, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SAFETY BAR FORBATHTUBS Howard S. Bennett, Scotia, N. Y.

Application May 17,

Claims. 1,

My invention relates to safety devices for builtin bathtubs andparticularly to a bar of a length adapting it to extend transverselyacross the top of a built-in bathtub and which is provided with meansfor detachably securing it to the tub to form a firm, safe hand -gripfor anyone using the tub so that, by grasping the same, he may safelyseat himself in the tub and lift himself therefrom without dangerof'slipping. Preferably, the device is made of suchy width that it maybe used as a seat.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a device of thecharacter described which may be readily attached to and detached from abuilt-in tub, and which is self adjustable so that it may be applied toany width of tub in common use. Another object is to provide a device ofsuch design that, when attached to the tub, it is substantiallyimpossible accidentally to displace it so that any one using itto assisthimself in getting into or out of the tub may have entire confidence inits stability. Another object is to provide a device of this characterwhich is light in weight, highly resistant to corrosion, which may becolored orv enameled to conform to any color scheme, and which may beconstructed and sold at low cost. j

I accomplish these objects by means of 'the novel elements and thecombinations and arrangements thereof described below and illustrated inthe accompanying drawings in which- Fig. 1 is a plan Viewl of my devicewith portions broken away, and showing a fragmentary portion of abuilt-in tub 'to which the device is attached;

Fig. 2 is a section of- Fig. 1 inv the plane 2--2;.

Fig. 3 is a small scale view of the tub showing my device attachedthereto;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary section of Fig. 1 in the plane 4-4; and y Fig. 5is a fragmentary bottom view of the device. f Referring to the drawingsI indicates the tub and 2 indicates the side wall of the bathroomagainst whichithe tub is built. l3 indicates the bar whichis adapted :to

extend transversely across and rest upon the tops of the opposite sidesof the tub. The bar3 may be formed of any material, such as wood,plastic, or light metal and is provided with a longitudi-` nallyextending slot -4 in the center. Whencast or molded, the portions Yofrthe bar on each side of the slot 4 are preferably hollow,.or.cored, asshown at 5 in Figs. 1 and v4, to reducevthe weight thereof. While thewidth` of` the bar,I is prefer.-

1947, Serial No. 748,747

ably sulcient to form a comfortable seat, the portions of the bar ateach side of the slot 4` should not be so wide that they cannot bereadily grasped by the hand.

5 Adjacent one end of the bar and projecting somewhat beyond the endthereof, is an angle bracket 6 which is pivotally secured to the top ofthe bar by means of the bolt 1. In order to limit the extent of therelative pivotal movement 10 of the bar 3 and the bracket, a pin 8 issecured to the bracket 6 and depends therefrom into a hole 9 in the bar3 which is of somewhat larger` diameter than the pin 8 so that someslight relative pivotal movement of the bracket 6 and l5 the bar 3 isprovided about the axis of the bolt 1. This slight movement closelyadjacent the pivotal bolt 1, allows sufficient lateralv swingingmovement of the other end of the bar totake care of any difference inhorizontal alignment between the wall 2 and the inside of the oppositewall of the tub.

Integral with the angle bracket B, or secured thereto by means of screwsI0, or otherwise, is a bar Il of somewhat greater length than the widthof the bar 3. Adjacent each end, and on that face thereof adjacentgthewall,2, the bar I I is recessed, as shown at I 2, and blocks or pads I3of rubber or other suitable material adapted to engage the wall 2 innon-slipping relation are 3g secured therein.

At the other end, the bar 3 is provided with a central, longitudinalbore I4 to receive the shaft 26, a portion of which kis threaded to formthe worm I5. A pin I6 is secured to or formed integral with the worm I5and projects into the bar 3, as best shown in Fig. 2. Since the ybar 3may be of a comparatively soft material, Aa phosphor-bronze thrustwasher II surrounds the pin I6 and abuts the end-of the worm I5, and,

between the thrust washer Il'and the bar 3 is a steel thrust plate I8.The bottom of theA bar 3 beneath the worm I5 is cut out, as shown at I8,

and a, frame I9V is secured tothe bar around the cut out portion bymeans of screws 20. i

Cooperating with the worm I5 is a nut y2l having a curved depending arm22 passing through the frame I9 (see Fig.'4) and having a member 23pivotallysecured at the lower extremity thereof, as shown at.24. Theface` -of the member 23 adjacent the inner face of the tub is preferablyrectangular, as best shown in Fig. 4, and is recessed to receive theblock 25 of rubber o r `similar material .adapted to engage the adjacentinner side of the tub, as shownin Fig. 2.y `The ,shaft 2-6 upon whichthe worm I5'k is formed, may be reduced in size where it projects beyondthe end of the bar 3, as shown at 21, and a plate 28 is secured to theend of the bar 3 by means of screws 29; the shoulder formed by thereduction in diameter of the shaft 23 abutting the inside surface ofthis plate. In order to turn the worm, a handle 30 is secured to thereduced portion 21 of the shaft 26, as best shown in Figs. l and 2.

In order to secure my device toa bathtub, it is only necessary to laythe bar across the top of the tub with the pads I3 positioned againstthe side wall 2 against which one side of the tub is built. Then, bymerely turning the handle 3G in a clockwise direction the nut 2| willybe movedl to the right until the pad or block is brought into rmcontact with the inner surface of the bathtub on the side thereof whichis remote from the wall. At the same time, the blocks I3 will becompressed against, the wall 2, and the device will be firmly wedgedbetween the wall and the tub.

- The dot and dash line A in Fig. 2 is a .continuation of the inner sidewall of the tub against which the block 25 is pressed, and the dot anddash line B is a line normal to the inner side of the tub against whichthe block rests or, inv other words, a line which is perpendicular tcthe dot and dash line A. The line B is drawn through the pivot 24 and issubstantially tangent to the top of that side of the tub which isadjacent the wall 2.

The dot and dash lne C is a line also drawn through the axis of thepivot to intersect the wall 2 just above the top of the blocks or padsI3 and the dot and dash line D is a line perpendicular to the line C andpassing through the center of the surface of the pad or block 25 whichrests against the inner surface of the tub 2. It will 'be noted thatthis line D intersects or passes through a portion of the tub betweenthe points indicated by the lead lines 3l in Fig. 2. Because this lineintersects the tub, it will be apparent that it will be impossible toraise the right hand end of the bar and hence the bar cannotaccidentally be displaced upwardly at this end.

It will also be apparent that, since the blocks I3 are substantiallylaterally spaced apart and the block 25 is of substantial width, it willbe quite impossible accidentally to dislodge the .bar 3 by a lateralthrust. Furthermore, since the blocks I3 are of substantial depth, itwill be difficult accidentally to displace upwardly the end of the baradjacent the wall against which the tub is built.

In order to eliminate all possibility of corrosion of those metal parts,other than the bar 3 which will be substantially non-corrosive if formedof wood, plastic, aluminum or the like, and which said parts aresubjected to substantial Stress or wear, and yet endow them withadequate strength and resistance to wear, I prefer to form them of astainless or corrosion resistant alloy, such as stainless steel.

While I have described my invention in its preferred embodiment, it isto be understood that the words which I have used are words ofdescription rather than of limitation and that changes, within thepurview of the appended claims, may be made without departing from thetrue scope and spirit of my invention in its lbroader as-pects.

What I claim is: 1

1. In a safety device for a built-in bathtub, the combination with a baradapted to extend trans-v versely across said tub and rest upon thetopsof CSI the opposite sides thereof, of means on said bar adapted tocooperate with the bathroom wall against which one side of said tub isbuilt, and

. in spaced zones thereof adjacent the top of said tub, a longitudinallyextending worm rotatably mounted on said bar, an arm including a nutcooperating with said worm and depending therefrom; said arm beingprovided at the lower end thereof with an element adapted to bearagainst the'inner' side of said tub Yopposite said wall; and a handlefor turning said worm to move said element into firm engagement with theinner side of said tub and said means into firm contact with saidbathroom wall to secure said bar to said tub.

2. In a safety device for a built-in bathtub, the

' combination with a bar adapted to extend transverselyacrosssaid tuband rest upon the tops of the opposite sides thereof, of means on saidbar adapted to cooperate with the bathroom wall against which one sideof Said tub is built, and in spaced zones thereof adjacent the top ofsaid tub, a longitudinally extending worm rotatably mounted on said bar,an arm including a nut cooperating with said worm and dependingtherefrom, means pivotally connected to the lower end of said arm andprovided with a surface of substantial area adapted frictionally toengage the inner side of said tub opposite said wall, and a handlefcrturning said worm for effecting relative movements of said Wallengaging means and said tub-side engaging means towards and awayfromeach other to secure said device to tubs of different width Iby wedgingit between the sideof said tub and said wall.

3. In a safety device for a built-in bathtub, the combination with aunitary rigid ybar of a length adapting it to extend from a zone closelyadjacent the wall against which said tub is built across and be simplysupported upon the tops of the opposite sides of said tub, of a wormextending longitudinally ofv and rotatably mounted on said bar andhaving a portion thereof projecting beyond that end of said bar which isadapted to rest on top of the outer side of said tub, a nut on said wormhaving an arm depending a substantial distance therefrom; and yprovidedat the lower end with an element adapted to bear` against the innerfacel of said. outer side ofsaid tub in a Zone substantially below thetop of said side, `and a handle on the rprojecting portion of said wormfor turning the same to wedge said bar firmly between said outer side ofsaid tub and said wall.

44. In a safety device for a built-in bathtub, the

combination with a rigid, fiat bar of substantialv width provided with alongitudinally-extending slot therein' and of a length adapted to.extend transversely across said tub and rest flatwise upon the tops ofthe opposite sides thereof, of means on said bar adapted to cooperatewith the bath-A room wall against which'one side of said tub is built, alongitudinally-extending worm rotatably mounted on said bar, anut-cooperating with said worm and having an arm depending therefrom,said arm being provided at the lower end thereof with an element adaptedto Abear against the inner side'of said tub opposite said'wall in a zonebelow and substantallyfspaced from the top thereof; and a handle forturningv said worm to move said element into firm engagement with saidinner side of said tub and said means into firm-contact with saidbathroom wall to secure said bar to said tub.l

5. In a safety device for a, built-in bathtub, the combination I.withalrigid, fiatA barof substantial width providedv with allongitudinally-'extending slot therein and of a length adapted to extendtransversely across said tub and rest atwise upon the tops of theopposite sides thereof, of means on said bar adapted to cooperate withthe bathroom Wall against which one side of said tub is built, alongitudinally-extending worm rotatably mounted on said bar, a nutcooperating with said worm and having an arm depending therefrom, saidarm being provided at the lower end thereof with an element adapted tobear against the inner side of said tub opposite said wall in a zonebelow and substantially spaced from the top thereof; and a handle forturning said Worm to move said element into rm engagement with saidinner side of said tub and said means into rm contact with said bathroomwall to secure said bar to said tub; said wall cooperating means andsaid element each being provided with means for automatically adjustingitself to move into rm, nonslipping contact with said wall and saidinner face of said tub, respectively, as said devi-ce is being wedgedinto place.

HOWARD S. BENNETT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the m le ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,358,680 Lilly Nov. '9, 19201,740,444 Downham et al. Dec. 24, 1929 2,045,815 Wiesjahn June 30, 19362,150,483 Bentz Mar. 14, 1939

